Two Sible Hedingham men and a Yeldham man have gone on trial accused of a horror attack in which an insurance executive was shot at his Sible Hedingham home and threats were made to ‘blow his brains out’.

Chelmsford Crown Court was told today that Timothy Mardon was woken in the early hours of the morning to see three burglars outside before they arrived at his locked bedroom at The Old Rectory, Sible Hedingham.

A shot was fired through the door before two of the gang burst in. A jury was told that Mr Mardon was then subjected to 30-minutes of questioning and threats before they left. Everything was recorded on an open line in a 999-call Mr Mardon made before the incident began.

The three accused are Charlie Simms, 22, of North Road in Great Yeldham; Kalebh Shreeve, 23, of Gibson Road, Sible Hedingham; and Christopher Bergin, 27 of Hawkwood Road, Sible Hedingham.

Simms denies attempted murder and all three deny aggravated burglary, wounding with intent, possessing a firearm while committing an offence and possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.

They are said to have stolen a Tudor Heritage watch worth 3,000 US dollars and a wallet containing UK and foreign currency during the incident on February 6 this year. The court was told that Mr Mardon, who has since been in a “living nightmare,” would have died without hospital treatment.

Richard Christie QC, prosecuting, said: “This was a brutal attack, Mr Mardon was asleep, was woken and looked outside to see men circling the windows. He called 999 and the phone line remained open.

“In those minutes, they smashed their way in, blasted him in the leg with a shotgun, threatened to kill him and left him for dead. They left him in a living nightmare.”

Although they were looking for drugs, said Mr Christie, there were none – Mr Mardon had “nothing to do with drugs” having a “highly paid job in insurance.” He said he spent most of his time in Bermuda.